New Jersey already guarantees that students from families that earn less than $65,000 can go to county college tuition free. Now, students from families that make up to $80,000 may also be getting a deep discount on county college costs. The state's Community College Opportunity Grant program would guarantee students whose households earn between $65,001 and $80,000 will pay no more than 50% of tuition and fees at New Jersey's county colleges under an expansion of the program proposed in the state's budget plan. The proposed grants could dramatically reduce the sticker price of attending two-year colleges for about 7,000 students, according to state estimates. Annual tuition and fees averaged $7,747 this year at New Jersey's 18 county colleges, which rank among the most expensive two-year colleges in the nation. "That sticker shock deters students from even considering college," said David Socolow, executive director of the state Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. "We need to first make college more affordable and to tell people about it." The expansion of the Community College Opportunity Grant program is part of the $48.9 billion state budget Gov. Phil Murphy introduced last week. The Democratic-controlled state Legislature is expected to negotiate the final budget with Murphy's administration before the governor signs the spending plan into law at the end of June. If the $8 million increase for the Community College Opportunity Grant program survives the budget negotiations, the program will grow to $35 million and expand to include students whose families earn up to $80,000. To qualify for the 50% tuition guarantee, students will have to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA. Undocumented immigrants living in the country illegally can also qualify for the program by filling out the New Jersey Alternative Financial Aid Application created for New Jersey "Dreamers" who are not eligible for federal aid. Officials will use the student's total household adjusted gross income, a number usually found on tax forms, to determine if the family falls into the $65,001 to $80,000 income range. If they do, the student will be guaranteed to pay 50% of the county college tuition and fees, or possibly less if they qualify for other student aid or scholarships. "The state is guaranteeing, essentially, to that group that they will pay half price," Socolow said. Promising a 50% tuition discount is not as costly for the state as it sounds, he said. The Community College Opportunity Grant program is "last dollar" aid. That means students still apply for federal Pell Grants, state Tuition Aid Grants and other scholarships and financial aid each year. Then, if at least half of the student's tuition and fees are not paid for by that money, the state will step in with a community college grant to make up the difference, known as the "last dollar." However, the money would only cover tuition and fees. Students would still have to pay for their books, transportation costs, childcare, housing and the other costs of attending college. New Jersey is one of several states that has joined the "free college" movement in recent years to expand aid programs. Murphy began promising free county college tuition for all students as one of the cornerstones of his education plan during his first campaign for governor. In 2018, the state announced the Community College Innovation Challenge pilot program that offered two years of free tuition at community colleges for students from families that earned less than $45,000. Last year, Murphy signed a law making that program, now known as the Community College Opportunity Grant program, permanent for students from households earning less than $65,000. About 50,000 students — or about 45% of all of the state's county college students — come from families that earn less than $65,000, according to state figures. Most of those students already pay no tuition or fees because they receive state or federal aid. About 13,000 are getting money from the Community College Opportunity Grant program to give them the "last dollars" they need to pay zero tuition and fees. The law Murphy signed last year allows the state to expand the community college aid program to higher income families if more money is allocated in the state budget. Under the current program, students with incomes below $65,000 are guaranteed free county college tuition, but if their households earn $65,001, they could be asked to pay full tuition. The state wants to eliminate that "eligibility cliff" by adding the 50% grant tier for families earning between $65,001 and $80,000, Socolow said. It's unclear if the state plans to continue raising the income limits in future years or eventually fulfill Murphy's original campaign promise of free county college tuition for all students. "We can't predict future budgets," Socolow said. "The goal is to make college more affordable." The expansion of the county college program is tied into other aid programs introduced by the Murphy administration, including the new Garden State Guarantee Initiative that will add a third and fourth year of tuition-free education for low-income students at all of New Jersey's public four-year colleges later this year. That will allow students in families that earn less than $65,000 to transfer from county colleges and complete their bachelor's degrees at other state schools tuition free. The Garden State Guarantee will also have a sliding scale of additional tuition discounts for third and fourth year students with incomes up to $80,000. Several New Jersey colleges— including Stockton University, New Jersey City University, Saint Peter's University — have also added their own guarantee programs offering free tuition for low-income students. Last month, Rutgers-New Brunswick introduced the the Scarlet Guarantee, a new program that promises that students on the state university's flagship campus will go to school tuition free if their families earn less than $65,000. Under the deal, undergraduates will also pay no more than $3,000 to $5,000 a year in tuition and fees if their households earn less than $100,000. Rutgers-Camden and Rutgers-Newark already offer variations of the tuition guarantee program. Despite the expanding number of discount programs and growing state aid, tuition at New Jersey's public colleges remains among the highest in the nation. The sticker prices have continued to rise, even as some colleges delayed increases during the pandemic. Average annual tuition and fees at county colleges rose 1.4% to $7,747 during the 2021-2022 school year, according to the state's tuition dashboard. Public four-year college tuition and fees rose 7.3% to $14,642, before room, board, books and other fees were added in. | 
